The Shpongle Droid Tour Makes a Very Special Stop in Denver
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Euphonic Conceptions & Live Nation Concerts present:
Shpongle (Simon Posford Live Set)
w/ Desert Dwellers, Goopsteppa, Supersillyus
December 6, 2019
SharedViews Editor: Grace Thomas
“Wait, but I thought Shpongle played their last show ever?” This is the resounding question that plagued the internet since the Shpongle Droid tour was announced. To clarify, the two nights at Red Rocks this past May were the very last shows of the Shpongle Live full band - which was comprised of a dozen members. Shpongle itself is composed of Simon Posford and Raja Ram, and Simon frequently performs live DJ sets on his own. So this tour is exactly that - Simon Posford Live with a full studio setup of synths, drum machines, FX and mixing desk etc.
When the Shpongle Droid tour was announced, the Denver stop was noticeably lacking. The six other stops all either indicated live Android Jones visuals or had incredible support announced - and in some cases, both. But that’s only because we were going to get something truly special. Not only were live Android Jones visuals confirmed, Denver was the only stop to be blessed with Desert Dwellers on support along with Goopsteppa and Supersillyus. There was no way the electronic music mecca was going to get a lineup that was anything less than extraordinary.
To start the night was Supersillyus, a Colorado-based musician and producer of the psychedelic electronic ilk. Supersillyus is Robert Jacob Max, and he has a talent for taking listeners on a journey through his music. With synths and sounds that enchant his audience, he showcased his own signature psybient storytelling. With Dan Wade (Mad Hatter) accompanying him on visuals, Supersillyus smoothly set the stage for so much more to come.
Next up was Goopsteppa, a futuristic melodic bass producer originally from Montreal. His captivating beats were delectably paired with Fractaled Visions (catch him on visuals with Detox Unit this Saturday 12/14 at Cervantes). A deep foray into bass, Goopsteppa added a much slower, yet intentional layer of sound to the night.
Desert Dwellers actually cancelled their Boulder show which was booked for the same night in order to provide direct support for Shpongle, a reunion from Red Rocks earlier this year. Composed of music producers Amani Friend and Treavor Moontribe, Desert Dwellers is known for the global fusion in their music that combines sounds from the natural world, deep bass, dreamy vocals, and instrumentation from different cultures. Pickles, a Denver-based visual artist, accompanied them. The pair flowed so easily together, the result of a multi-decade working relationship. Their album BREATH, which came out early this year, marked 20 years of them making music as Desert Dwellers.
It’s hard to imagine celebrating two decades of a musical project, but Shpongle has been steadily creating for over three. This particular rendition of Shpongle live featured Simon Posford exclusively. Once on stage, he asked the Denver crowd: “Are you ready to get silly?” Having completed over half the tour already, Shpongle was moving and grooving and ready to unleash a full scale dance party onto Denver.
Android Jones provided visuals for Shpongle, and in many ways they are perfect together. Android is famous for creating multi-layered digital art that has a heavy emphasis on spirituality and altered states of consciousness as well as nature. A self proclaimed “electro-mineralist”, he uses the most advanced materials available to him (usings computers and tablets and now VR) to alter the viewer’s perception.
In addition to a visual artist paired with every single set, there was also a very full and diverse lineup of live and local painters to accompany an already stacked night. With 24 additional artists creating throughout the night plus some incredibly talented aerialists and dancers during Shpongle’s set, there was no shortage of delight for the eyes (and ears).
Shpongle is a multi-dimensional performance meant to be experienced. Even without the sheer scale that the live band adds, Shpongle will have your jaw on the floor. There are melodies you can see, rhythms you can touch - even if you are hearing the music for the very first time. If you have an opportunity to catch the ShpongleDroid Tour, do NOT miss it. Shpongle isn’t just about the music - it’s about the ability to pull you into a different dimension to see just what can be. The possibilities are endless, and you won’t be disappointed.
